The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a timely reminder for drivers: prioritize seatbelt safety and sober driving as Thanksgiving approaches. To reinforce this message, deputies will be ramping up patrols starting Monday and continuing until December 2.

Sheriff Dustin Heuerman emphasized the importance of these precautions in a recent news release. “Thanksgiving often means more vehicles on the road, longer journeys, and a slew of celebrations,” he noted. “Wearing a seatbelt is one of the simplest and most effective measures you can take to protect yourself in the event of a crash. We urge all drivers and passengers to buckle up every time they get in a vehicle and to arrange for a designated driver or another safe way to get home before the festivities begin.”

In light of the holiday season, Heuerman shared several proactive tips to help individuals prepare responsibly:

Heuerman also provided the following tips for people to plan ahead:

• Designate a sober driver or plan to use a taxi, public transit or a rideshare service
• Do not drive after using marijuana. The effects of using can be delayed, and they can impair reaction time and judgment.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, pull over safely and call 911.
• Make sure everyone in the vehicle wears a seat belt.

The Thanksgiving enforcement effort is part of IDOT’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” “Click It or Ticket” and “It’s Not a Game” campaigns, and it is supported by federal traffic safety funds administered by IDOT.